David Fry Proving He’s More Than A Utility Player, Guardians Opinion

David Fry continues to show why he should be an everyday player for the Cleveland Guardians.

Apr 14, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians first baseman David Fry (6) crosses home plate for the winning run against the New York Yankees during the tenth inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports / Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

Many players who can play multiple positions, but can’t find a home on defense whether it be offensive woes or inconsistency find themselves with the role of “utility guy.” 

David Fry’s biggest strength when he was called up by the Cleveland Guardians at the beginning of 2023 was his versatility. 

He had the skill set to play first base, third base, each corner outfield position, and catcher. This gave Fry the title and role of being the team’s super-utility player.

Here we are, a little over a year since his promotion, and it’s become more than clear that Fry is more than a utility player a manager puts in the field somebody needs a day off. Versatility is just one aspect of Fry’s game. He’s just a darn good baseball player who deserves everyday at-bats. 

Fry’s stats are currently some of the best on the team. He’s hitting .349/.486/.590 with and OPS of 1.076 which includes five home runs and 18 RBI. 

Fry made a name for himself in the minors as a right-handed hitter who demolished lefty pitching. That’s still he the case in Big Leagues as Fry had a batting average of .424 and an OBP of .608 against southpaws this season. 

However, Fry is still managing to hit righties at a high level too. He has an OPS of .879 off righties and a .300 batting average this season. 

Apr 14, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians first baseman David Fry (6) crosses home plate for the wining run against the New York Yankees during the tenth inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports / Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

“This is just a complete baseball player,” said manager Stephen Vogt after Tuesday’s win. “He continues to just have a slow heartbeat and go up and have a professional at-bat every time out.”

Just because Fry doesn’t have a designated position, doesn’t mean he’s any less valuable to this Guardians team. If anything, it makes him more crucial.  Every winning team needs a player such as Fry to be successful and it’s hard to imagine where Cleveland would be without him on the roster.